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United’s all-in on this growing air travel trend. Delta isn’t a fan
Sean CudahySenior Aviation Reporter
Sean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.
Aug. 30, 2026
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6 min read
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If you flew to Europe 15 years ago, you might have found yourself on a giant double-decker plane like the Boeing 747 or Airbus A380
But it’s 2026, and United Airlines’ plans for next summer couldn’t be more different
This past week, the Chicago-based carrier unveiled 10 new nonstop destinations launching next spring
These destinations range from Luxembourg and Slovenia to the Azores and Sicily, and there’s a common theme between several of them: The airline plans to reach them using smaller, single-aisle planes
All-in on smaller planes for long routes
Forget sending a jumbo jet with several hundred seats across the Atlantic to London or Paris
Increasingly, United is betting travelers would rather fly directly to a more under-the-radar destination — even if the plane is smaller than the ones they’re used to
An added bonus? The aircraft it plans to use for most of these routes is decked out with fancy seats and other premium features
United’s new Airbus A321XLR has a true international business-class cabin, along with premium economy
And the airline has 50 of those planes on order, which means this jet will be a big part of United’s international plans for years to come
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“There’s really no other U.S.-based carrier that’s leaning in to this narrow-body platform in a premium configuration the way United is,” chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella said last week
But does eight hours on what’s essentially a domestic-size airplane sound like … a bit much?
United’s top rival thinks so
Delta says it’s not ‘the best product’
Delta Air Lines has been clear: It has no interest in sending single-aisle planes on long-haul routes
“I don’t know if it’s the best product,” Delta’s chief commercial officer, Joe Esposito, told me bluntly in a recent interview
Delta has repeatedly insisted it would stick exclusively with larger planes on its intercontinental flights. And it doesn’t look like that’s going to change, even as Delta watches competitors use the smaller jets to open up unique niche destinations
“I think we’ve got a best-in-class product,” Esposito said, “It’s hard to put a great product on a narrow-body [plane] for international. Especially if you’re trying to go far.”
He has a point
Too long on board a smaller plane?
A smaller plane means less room to get up and stretch your legs, and less galley space for flight attendants to prep meal service
It also means fewer lavatories on board, which can lead to long lines during international flights lasting eight hours or more
United isn’t worried, though
The carrier believes it has equipped its new XLR planes with enough premium features that passengers will more than willingly hop on board for the transatlantic crossing
Along with the 20 Polaris suites and 12 Premium Plus recliners, there’s a walk-up snack bar in coach. Plus, there’s one row that lets passengers pay extra for a guaranteed empty middle seat
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But the biggest advantage, chief network planner Patrick Quayle said this week, is that these narrow-body planes are designed to drop passengers off directly at their final destination — no need to change planes in Paris, Rome or Frankfurt
“When you add that in with the fact that it’s a nonstop flight and it avoids the connection in Europe, this is all the ingredients for success,” Quayle said. “So, we’re quite bullish on it.”
TPG readers weigh in
Frequent flyers who weighed in on United’s route drop this week were split
“I won’t take a single [aisle] airplane across the ocean … if I can help it,” one TPG reader commented on our Instagram post
“As for me, I’ll get on the nonstop and not spend my time at a European megahub wondering if I’m [going to] miss my connecting flight,” another wrote. “By the time you show up, I’ll already have done a half-day tour, had dinner and be at the bar with a drink in my hand.”
A growing airline industry shift
United isn’t the only airline taking this new-look international approach, by the way
American Airlines deployed its own new A321XLR earlier this year on a route to Edinburgh and plans to send the plane to Porto, Portugal; Vienna; and Amsterdam in 2027
Spain’s Iberia and Ireland’s Aer Lingus have already used the aircraft to bring nonstop Madrid and Dublin flights to smaller U.S. markets
And JetBlue has flown narrow-body jets across the Atlantic since 2021, gaining accolades for its luxe Mint business-class cabin in the process
United’s also all-in on wide-body service
We should also point out: United certainly isn’t moving away from wide-body planes. In fact, the carrier has a historically large order of twin-aisle jets slated for delivery over the coming years. And those Boeing 787 Dreamliners will be the true anchor of its long-haul service for decades to come
At the same time, these new, smaller, longer-range planes are giving airlines more flexibility to open up routes they likely wouldn’t have considered in the past on larger jets
That’s appealing, as travelers increasingly seek lesser-known, less touristy places to visit
It’s an approach that might have been hard to imagine at the turn of the century, when Airbus started building the A380 and the 747 still reigned as the “Queen of the Skies.”
And it’s one Delta will gladly sit out
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Featured image by SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
